Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar has asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to issue orders to release Rs 120 crore pending pension grants to the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC), to approve Rs 24 crore proposal to improve bulk water supply from Malaprabha to solve water scarcity in the twin cities and to pay Rs 82 crore pending crop insurance amount to the farmers in the district, before the latter visits Dharwad district on December 24 as part of his Nava Karnataka Nirmana Yatra.
Speaking to media persons here on Saturday, Mr Shettar lamented that the government has not released pension grants to the HDMC since 2014-15 due to which the civic body is in severe financial crisis, while the government has also not responded to the issue of drinking water scarcity after Neerasagar tank went dry.
Ministers and officials had agreed to release pending pension grants to the HDMC, at least in the form of special grants, but the promise is not yet met. After Neerasagar tank went dry, the frequency of water supply has become once in 10 days. The government has not yet fulfilled its promise to approve Rs 24 crore proposal of the Karnataka Urban Water Supply & Drainage Board (KUWSDB) to increase the water pumping from Malaprabha reservoir to solve this problem. Rs 82 crore under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is yet to be paid to the farmers in the district, for 2016 kharif season. The chief minister should resolve these long-pending issues before coming to the district, Mr Shettar said.
"District In-charge Minister Vinay Kulkarni should immediately hold a special meeting to resolve water crisis, or I will call a meeting of officials on December 18," he noted.
Various development works in the twin cities were delayed due to the negligence of district in-charge minister and officials. Now, they are being completed in a hurry, in the background of the chief minister's visit. If they have to do so, at least complete the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) project fast and get it inaugurated by the chief minister, he challenged.
On Mahadayi issue
When asked about the efforts to convince Goa for resolving the dispute over Mahadayi water sharing, Mr Shettar said, "the duration mentioned by State BJP President B S Yeddyurappa in this issue should not be considered as the deadline. Efforts are being made in that direction, and a positive result is expected in just a few days".
On Mallamma statement
In reply to a query about slain BJP leader Yogishgouda Goudar's wife Mallamma reportedly leaning towards Congress, Mr Shettar opined that she took that stand under pressure.
"Mallamma herself had earlier given a complaint to the chief justice. This government is trying to bury Yogishgouda's murder case, as District In-charge Minister Vinay Kulkarni's name was heard in this case. No action was taken when the names of ministers K J George and Vinay Kulkarni were heard in such cases, but immediate action happens in the case against journalist Ravi Belagere, he added, demanding resignation of Mr Kulkarni and CBI probe into the case.
UP CM's visit
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will attend the BJP's district-level Nava Karnataka Nirmana Parivartana Yatra event to be held at Nehru Stadium in Hubballi on December 21.
State BJP President B S Yeddyurappa, Union Chemicals & Fertilisers Minister Ananth Kumar and other leaders would take part. Failures of Congress government and achievements of BJP government would be highlighted in the event, for which around one lakh people are expected, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar said.
MLC Pradeep Shettar, former MLA Shankar Patil Munenakoppa, Corporator Veeranna Savadi, and others were present.